Scaffolding



Aug. 13, 1929- F. B. JOHNSTON SCAFFOLDING Filed Feb. 24, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B. JOHNSTON, OF ROSELLE PARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN8AFETY DEVICE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SCAFFOLDING.

Application filed February 24, 1927. Serial No. 170,540.

The present invention relates to scaffolding, and has for an object toprovide an im proved means for raising and lowering the scaffold.

6 The present invention aims to provide a motor driven device forraising and lowering the scaffolding without occupying much space andwhich may be protected from dust and contact with materials which areused upon and about the platform, and a mechanism which may be operatedstep by step for raising anddowering the plat-form.

Another object of the invention is to provide an operating or hoistingmeans for a scaffolding which may be carried by the scaffolding andwhich at the same time occupies but small space, may be operated by asingle motor of the electric or other suitable type and a device whichmaybe easily and quickly brought into operation for adjusting anyportion or either end or any corner of the scaflolding to suit the sameto various conditions of use.

The invention embodies a novel carriage or portable device provided witha motor and with suitable gearing or connections for coupling the motorselectively with independent oisting devices or means carried by thescaffolding at the corners thereof, intermediate the ends thereof, orotherwise as occasion may demand, the portable carriage or device beingconstructed and provided with means for connecting the hoisting deviceseither independently or in multiple with the motor on the carriage, sothat the hoisting devices may be selectively moved either singly orsimultaneously in pairs or the like.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a scaffolding equipped with a hoistingmechanism constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the scaffolding with the hoistingmechanism applied thereto.

Figure 4 is a detail enlarged View of one of the hoisting devices ormeans employed at the corners or other portions of the scaffolding.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the portable carriage or operating meanswhich may be shifted about on the platform of the scaffolding.

Figure 6 is a detail fragmentary view in perspective of the detachableconnection between the portable operating device and one of the hoistingmeans on the scaffolding.

Figure 7 is a top plan View of a modified form of the portable operatingdevice.

Figure 8 1s a side elevation of the same, and

Figure 9 is an end view of the portable operating device of Figures 7and 8.

Referring to the drawings, the scaffolding may be of any approvedconstruction and in the present instance is disclosed as comprising anupper platform 15 from which is suspended a lower platform 16. Theseplatforms are composed of groups of longitudinally positioned boardsseated in edgewise contacting relation across spaced putlogs 17. Theupper and lower platforms 15 and 16 are connected together by rods 18 orthe like which form the means of suspension and support for the lowerplatform 16. For supporting and adjusting the scaffolding the upperplatform 15 is provided at suitable spaced points, such as near theopposite corners of the platform 15, with hoisting means or devices.Each hoisting device or means comprises a substantially rectangularframe 19 which is attached by angle irons 20 or the like to the platform15. Within the 'frame 19 is disposed a drum 21 supported on the shaft 22secured in the frame 19 and upon which the drum 21 may freely turn.Wound upon the drum 21 is a rope or cable 23 forming a flexible support,and the cable 23 is carried upwardly from the drum over an anti-frictionpulley 24 mounted on the cross rod 25 forming a portion of the frame 19,and upwardly to a suitable overhanging support 26 which may project fromthe adjacent wall of the building. These supporting or suspension cables23 are in any desired number corresponding to the number of hoistingdevices used. In the present instance four of these cables 23 are shownassociated with four of the hoisting devices, one at each corner portionof the scaffolding, as shown in Figure 2.

One flange of the drum 21 is provided with a ratchet wheel 27 with whichcooperates a pawl 28 pivoted at 29 on the frame 19 to hold the drum 21fromf turning in one direction. The other flange or end of the drum 21is provided with a worm wheel 30 with which engages and meshes a worm 31mounted on the shaft 32 which is journaled in the frame 19 and utilizedfor rotating the drum 21. The shaft 32 of the worm, as shown in Figure6, is provided with a head 33 on one end which preferably extendsinwardly with respect to the outer edges of the scaffolding forinterlocking engagement with a second head 34 carried upon the shaft 35of the portable operating device. It will be noted from Figures 2 and 3that the hoisting means on the scaffolding is disposed in pairs atopposite ends and that the worm shafts 32 of the hoisting means are sodisposed as to be in transverse alinement and register transversely ofthe scaffolding. It is possible, therefore, to use a portable operatingmeans and shift it into position between a pair of these hoistingdevices, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. The detachable heads 33and 34 permit of the quick interlocking and release of the operatingmeans with respect to the separate hoisting devices. I

The portable operating means comprises a platform or frame 36 mountedupon wheels or rollers 37, so that the platform 36 may be wheeled aboutthe platform 15 from one end to the other and may be easily and quicklyadjusted into interlocking engagement with one or more of the hoistingdevices as is desired. The platform 36 carries the motor 38 having ashaft 49 upon which is mounted a pinion 50 meshing with a gear wheel 51on the shaft 52 mounted upon a standard 53 rising from the platform 36.The shaft 52 carries a bevel pinion 54 against the opposite sides ofwhich mesh a pair of bevel gear wheels 55 mounted on the shaft 35. Oneof the gear wheels 55 may be loose upon the shaft, or the shaft 35 maybe divid;- ed so that its opposite ends may be turned in oppositedirections.

The overhanging supports or Outriggers 26 may be of any approved formand in the present instance are shown as of I-beam construction andbearing across the upper edge of a wall '46, which may be joined to aroofing or flooring 47 which serves as an anchor for the inner ends ofthe outriggers 26, the latter being attached thereto by anchor bolts 48or other suitable means.

In operation, when it is desired to elevate one end or portion of thescaffolding it is onlynecessary to roll the portable operating deviceinto close proximity to the hoisting means of the scaffolding and tointerlock the heads 33 and 34 together. This interlock may beaccomplished by merely sliding the a head 33 laterally into the openingin the head or socket 34 so that as the head or socket 34 is turned itwill rotate the worm shaft 32 therewith and thus actuate the ho1stingmeans. g 7

As shown in Figure 5 the shaft 35 extends from opposite sides of theplatform 36 and there is a socket-34 on each end of the shaf 35 so thatthe portable device may be disposed between a pair of the hoistingdevices to operate them simultaneously and equally to insure theuniform'lifting of the two corners of the platform. In Figures 7, 8 and9 there is disclosed a slightly modified form of operating means mountedon the portable platform 36 and which may be substituted for theoperating means shown in Figure 5, I

This modification shows the platform 36 carrying on one end a motor 38of any approved type, such as an electric motor as shown. The motor 38has a shaft 39 which extends centrally of the platform 36 and lengthwisethereof, and is supported at its end remote from the motor 38 by astandard or hearing 40, the shaft 39 carrying a worm 41 which mesheswith a. worm wheel 42 fixed on a shaft 43 disposed transversely over theplatform 36 in a pair of spaced apart standards or uprights 44. Theshaft 43 carries at opposite sides of the worm wheel 42 a pair ofpinions 45 which mesh with gear wheels 46 carried upon the drive shaft35. The motor 38 thus operates, through the reduction gearing described,the operating shaft 35 so as to turn it slowly and thus coinmunicate itsmotion to the drums 21 of the independent hoisting devices when theportable operating means is connected therewith.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodimentof my invention, but it is obvious that changes may be made thereinwithin the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In scaffolding, a platform, a pair of independenthoisting means carried by the platform at separated points, and aportable power-driven operating device common to said pair of hoistingmeans arranged on the platform to be shifted between said hoistingmeans, said operating means comprising a motor having parts for couplingwith said pair of hoisting means for operating them simultaneously as apair and independently.

2. In scaffolding, a platform, pairs of hoisting devices arranged atopposite ends of the platform, and a power-driven operating devicemovably mounted on the platform adapted to be shifted into positionbetween the hoisting devices of each pair and comprising a motor andparts for coupling with said hoisting devices to simultaneously operatethe hoisting devices in pairs and selectively according to the positionof the operating means.

3. In scaflolding, a platform, a hoisting device at each. corner portionof the platform, each of said devices including a drum and shaftconnected to the drum for turning it, and a portable power drivenoperating unit mounted on the platform adapt-ed to be shifted betweentwo of said drums and having a drive shaft and comprising a motor, andmeans for detachably interlocking the drum operating shaft and the driveshaft to turn the drum from the operating member.

4. In scaffolding, a platform, pairs of hoisting devices arranged inspaced relation on the platform, flexible supports for the platformconnected to said hoisting devices, each of said hoisting devices havinga driven shaft, and portable operating means mounted on the platform andcomprising a motor provided with a drive shaft having detachablecoupling parts on its ends, the operating means being adapted to beadjusted between the hoisting devices of the selected pairs and theopposite ends of the shaft of the operating means adapted to interlockwith the driven shafts of the hoisting devices.

5. In scaffolding, a platform, a plurality of hoisting devices mountedon the platform, each hoisting device having a frame secured to theplatform, a drum mounted to turn in the frame, a worm gear connection inthe frame with the drum and having a driven shaft projecting from theframe and portable operating means mounted on the platform adapted to beshifted to the selected hoisting devices, said portable operating meanshaving a motor, and a drive shaft geared to the motor and having acoupling head on the drive shaft for detachable interlocking engagementwith the worm gearing of the hoisting devices to selectively op eratethe latter.

6. In scaffolding, a platform, a plurality of hoisting devices mountedupon the platform and each including a drum and driven means for turningthe drum and including a driven shaft with a socket head thereon, acable wound upon each drum, Outriggers supporting the upper ends of thecables, and a portable motor including a driving member and a train ofreduction gears having a drive shaft with an interlocking head thereon,said portable motor being adapted to be shifted to the selected hoistingdevice and adjusted with the heads of the operating member and thehoisting device in interlocking engagement to actuate the hoistingdevice.

7. In scaffolding, a platform, a plurality of hoisting means mountedthereon at separated points, each of the hoisting means including a drumwith a supporting cable wound thereon, means cooperating with the drumfor holding it against reverse movement, and a portable power drivenoperating device arranged on the platform to be shifted thereon andcomprising a motor and coupling parts common to a plurality of hoistingmeans for interlocking engagement with them selectively according to theposition of the operating means to rotate the drum and wind the cablethereon.

8. In a scaffolding, a platform, hoisting devices secured to theplatform in pairs, the members of each pair being at opposite sides ofthe platform, each of said devices comprising gearing and a projectingshaft to operate said device, a roller truck .for said platform, apower-driven motor carried by said truck, shafting on the truck carryingcoupling parts at the opposite sides of the truck, and gearing betweenthe motor and said shafting so that when the truck is moved between thehoisting devices, said shafting can be connected by said coupling partsto the shafts of the said hoisting devices to actuate same.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name hereto.

FRANK B. JOHNSTON.

